The Most Influential Person

By Ron Bartanen    Through The course of history there have been many who have affected civilization both for the good and the bad.  But, without question, the One who has had the greatest positive influence has been Jesus Christ.  A few years ago a poll was taken by the cable TV network, A&E, of numerous politicians, scholars and theologians, asking them to name the 100 most influential people.  As reported, Johann Gutenberg was deemed the most influential person of the past 1000 years.  Society was changed forever by his invention of the moveable-type printing press in the fifteenth century.  Others who have dramatically impacted history would have to credit Gutenberg for enabling them to do so.    It is interesting to note Gutenberg’s primary motivation in producing this revolutionary invention. While others have used it for other purposes, his main objective was to be able to make the word of God and the gospel of Christ available to all.  Note the following quotations from Gutenberg:    “God suffers in the multitude of souls whom His holy word cannot reach.  Religious truth is imprisoned in a small number of manuscript books, which confine, instead of spreading, the public treasure.  Let us break the seal which seals up holy things, and give wings to truth, in order that she may go and win every soul that comes into this world, by her word, no longer written at great expense by a hand easily translated but multiplied like the wind by an untiring machine.”    “Yes, it is a press, certainly, but a press from which shall soon flow in inexhaustible streams, the most abundant and most marvelous liquor that has ever flowed to relieve the thirst of men! Through it, God will spread His word.  A spring of pure truth shall flow from it; like a new star it shall scatter the darkness of ignorance, and cause a light heretofore unknown to shine amongst men.”    The first book to come off his printing press was a three-volume Latin version of the Bible, completed in 1455.  What a debt of gratitude we owe to the Lord for using this humble man in Mainz, Germany in this manner.

-Ronald Bartanen is a retired minister who for many years served the Lord's church in Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan and Tennessee. After the passing of his beloved wife, Doris, Ron has relocated from Illinois to Florida where he is near family. He may be contacted at: ron33dor@yahoo.com